Impulse Theatre play explores hunting

A new play that explores the evolution of masculinity, competition and male relationships hits the stage at Impulse Theatre this week.

The Hunt, written by Impulse artistic director Andrew Barrett, features three interwoven worlds: the first is a club setting and focuses on how people hunt when they’re going to find love; the second is a Japanese-reality TV-inspired game show in which someone is emasculated if they lose; the third is a story-time scenario that adds a juvenile element.

The two-person performance, including John Han (A Christmas Carol, Rocky Horror Picture Show), draws attention to the lines between hunting for desire, self-destruction, or basic instinct and their intersection with competition and glory.

For Barrett, who also wrote the play, he drew on his own experiences for inspiration.

When he was in Grade 6 and 7, he would get teased for crying, something that Barrett said has had an affect on his emotions now.

“It’s looking at some of those repressed feelings and also just how that kind of isolates you from people,” Barrett said. “Hunting used to be this human experience where people worked together to further the health of the community. But now it’s become a game. It became a competitive thing where people got glory for it.”

The roughly 40-minute play will include a facilitated talk following the performance.

The Hunt hits stage on Feb. 6 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Intrepid Theatre Club (1609 Blanshard St.) Tickets are $10 cash at the door. For more information visit implusetheatre.ca.